Dragons,Werewolves and Soulmates, oh my!
by mini pony lover
Summary: A familiar face from Lyra's past comes to Storybrooke needing her help to defeat a common enemy. Will this blast from the past wreak Lyra's future with her Soulmate?
1. Chapter 1

Lyra was wiping down when she heard the screams.

"Monster! Run!" said Leroy, with his usual hysterics.

Lyra rolled her eyes and continued to wipe the table down until she heard a familiar roar.

"No, Ric." She whispered, throwing down the towel and running towards the sounds of chaos.

"Hold it still, Regina!" Emma yelled, while trying to stun the beast.

It looked like a dragon-wolf hybrid. It had the size and glistening dark green scales of a dragon, mixed with the legs and teeth of a wolf. A dragon-wolf hybrid that was REALLY pissed off. Regina kept blasting it with magic, trying to stun it.

"It's not working. You're only seeming to piss it off more".

"Yeah, well why don't you try instead of bi-"

Regina was abruptly cut off by a loud boom sounding by Granny Diner. While the heroes were coughing up dust, Lyra flew to where Ric was, stopping to stand in front of the poor animal.

"Oh, Ricoshey,I'm so sorry sweetheart." She brushed dust out of one of his eyes, the amber color slightly darker then she remembered. "Why are you here? How did you escape?"

"_I was sent to fetch my mistress_." The thought coiled into her brain, the voice sounded deep and slightly smokey. "_I mean these peasants no harm_."

"I know you do Ric. I just wish they could understand…" Lyra trailed off as a thought came to her.

"_Ric, would you like to explain your situation to people that might be able to help?"_

"_of course Mistress, but how would I be able to explain like this?"_

"_You wouldn't." _ At that,Ric's head reared and smoke started to pour. He let out a mighty roar. "_I will NOT turn into my human form. Never again. Not even for you mistress."_

"_I'd never ask that of you. You and I both know what scars the other carries because of __**Him**__ and I would NEVER ask you to turn back into a human, just as I'm sure you will never ask me to wear a gold collar."_

That seemed to settle Ric somewhat. "_Then what are you suggesting?"_

"We switch temporarily. I go into your body and you go into mine, so that you can get help from the people I trust more than anything. So you can explain yourself with human lips, to show that you mean no harm." Lyra answered him out loud.

"What are you talking about Lyra?" Regina asked.

"I'm going to switch bodies with Ric so that he can explain himself why he isn't a threat to anyone in Storybrooke."

"What? You're crazy! This thing just tried to barbeque us like we were chicken on Fourth of July!" Emma said outraged.

Choosing to ignore the Savior, she only told Regina, "I have to make a few phone calls first, so hang tight."

Lyra pulled out her phone and dialed Ruby.

"Hey Rubes. Could you get moon and my sun and meet me at Granny's in about 10 minutes?"

"Of course sis. Mind telling me what this is about?

Lyra glanced over at Ric and meets his amber gaze.

"I have a friend who need all of your help. Plus I want him to meet all of you."

"ooooooooo interesting. See ya in 10!"

"Hey Moon. I ran into a friend of mine from

Braun's. Ruby's coming to grab you and Bae to meet me at Granny's in 10. Can you ask Belle to come too? Maybe something she's read will help."

"Of course Stars. I will see you in 10."

Her calls taken care of, she turned to Ric.

"Ready?"

His giant head bobbed once.

"Ok then. Let's get this show on the road."

(***************************(****************(*******************(********************

Ric had to acclimate himself to being back in a human body.

He took a few minutes to get used to standing, and then wiggled his toes and fingers. He then fell down because he forgot he had to support himself on his mistress's two twigs of legs instead of four as he was used to.

"What do you feed yourself, Mistress?" Ric asked in Lyra's voice, sounding grumpy about falling.

_An amused chuckle sounded "Oh, you know me, I always run on caffeine and spite_."

"Yeah well, you need meat." Ric grumbled.

"_Oh, hush. You'll be back into your normal grumpy scaly body in no time. For right now, do you see that restaurant over there?" She shook her head in the direction of Granny's. "My sister Ruby is gathering people who might be able to help you. I asked them to meet me-well you- there in 10 minutes. Just explain your situation and they'll be more than happy to help." She shook her head "Regina can help you with the introductions." She indicated the slightly-cross looking brunette standing by her. "Tell that she has to help you now or I'll pump henry full of candy at 11pm and then unleash him on her"_

Ric reiterated the message to the cross brunette and she only said "I hope you get Dragon-pox_"._

"_Not a thing!" Lyra helpfully chimed to their retreating backs._

Ric entered the diner, a clang of the bell announcing his arrival.

A Pretty brunette wearing an apron with bright red lipstick and a mischievous smirk ran over to them.

"Hey Lyre." The woman said with a hug, one Ric felt himself returning, despite his usual aversion to human contact. She smelled sweet, like candy mixed with finest liquor he ever tasted. Ric was reluctant to let her go.

"I am assuming this is her sister Ruby?" Ric asked Regina.

"Yes this is. " Regina replied. "Ruby this is Ric,Ric Ruby."

As soon as Regina made the introductions,

Ruby ran to the table where a Man with slightly long hair wearing a impeccable suit sat, next to a woman with pretty blue eyes who was reading a book, and a man in jeans and a t-shirt whose eyes Ric seemed to find familiar for whatever reason.

Ruby grasped the table and with a blaze of defiance seemed to shout into the air "Rumplestitskin,Baelfire,Ruby Red!"

A blaze of gold seemed to blind him, but when he shielded his eyes, he could make out all of them still at the table but now sitting under a protection shield.

"Well she defiantly didn't leave her family defenseless." He muttered.

In a Louder tone of voice he said "I'm not an enemy, Lyra sent me to help."

"Oh Yeah, well why the fuck isn't she in her own body.?"

"My mistress thought it would be better if I was able to speak to you while in a human form. So she gave me hers to borrow."

"Why should we believe you? Why should we believe a god-dam thing you say?" This came from the man in the jean and a t-shirt

"Baelfire,Don't." This came as a warning from the man in the nice suit. "I'll handle this."

"Baelfire? As in 'my Mistress's son she very literally signed her soul to a monster and almost died trying to find' Baelfire?" Now Ric knew exactly why those eyes had seemed familiar.

Before Bae could rebut, Ric cut him off.

"She told me all about you, ya know. When she could escape him for the night. She said that your laugh was one of the most beautiful things she ever heard. She said that on every night when the moon was full. Shed sing Happy birthday to the moon, hoping that somehow it would carry back to you."

"She'd wistfully say._ 'My Firefly'_ on those night before she fell asleep."

"I-I-….." Lyra's son was speechless, seeming struck dumb at his words.

"How do we know you don't have her locked up somewhere? Held against her will? She could be feeding you this information under duress" this from the man in the suit, who Ric had the sudden urge to shove him through the wall at his back.

"I would NEVER do that to my mistress!" Ric roared, the walls shaking with his force.

He felt a tap at his shield. "_Ric, everything ok_?" Lyra cautiously asked though their bond. "_Yes, fine_." He replied "_Just had a prick in a suit accuse me of locking you up like HE did."_

Lyra sighed. He had a strange felling she'd be rubbing her palms into her eyes right now, as she was prone to do when she was frustrated. Lord knows he saw her do it enough when he was a young hatchling.

"_Moon, do you always have to be an asshole?" Lyra asked. Seeming done with him already._

"_I'm sorry Ric, it seems that everyday is Snark Day for my spinner."_

Ric cast wided eyed at the man. "YOU'RE the Spinner? The Spinner my mistress loves, the one she would do anything for? The one she has done anything for? You're her mate?"

The room got deadly silent while the two men glared at each other.

"What did you say?" the man asked with a deadly sort of calm.

Ric had been around Braun enough to know what when men like the Spinner got lethally, deadly calm is when you should be most afraid. He's seen Braun decapitate a whole village one by one with that same deadly calmness on his blood soaked face. All because one foolish peasant stepped in his way and didn't apologize.

Ric gulped. "You're…You're My mistress's soulmate."

Ruby looked at him with wide-eyes, seeming to have been surprised enough to let down the shield.

The Spinner walked to where Ric stood.

"Where is she?" The Spinner asked.

"Why in the Seven Hells would I tell you?" Ric snapped. Anyone who decide to flip off fate and not keep their mate, didn't deserve one as far as Ric was concerned.

"Because, "The Spinner said "All magic comes with a price. You want my help to defeated your curse? Tell me where she is"

Ric gritted his teeth and said "Currently she is in my body on the road a few blocks up from here.I can take you to her."

Rumple gestured with his cane

"Lead the way."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well this is a short chapter,but I'm trying to write when inspiration strikes. As usual, I own** nothing** except Lyra and Ric. Please R&R!

Ricoshey lead the Spinner the few blocks to where his body was. As he surveyed his preferred form, He could see that Lyra somehow managed to fix some of his bruises and cuts.

"_Hey Ric_. " Lyra voice spoke softly, as if she were tired. "_I was just finishing up mending your cuts. I'll be a few more minutes…"_

Ric decided to answer verbally, as a courtesy to his mistresses Mate and sister. "Mistress, how much magic have you used?"

"_Enough_." Came the terse reply, as if Lyra knew she would be scolded.

"Lyre!" Ruby started to scold her sister, based on the worried concern in her voice.

The Spinner waved his hand, what cuts and bruises remained vanished.

"_Thanks, Moon_" Lyra sighed.

Ric relayed the message.

"You're welcome, _Mate_." The spinner replied, seeming to place a caress on the word.

Lyra's amber eyes widened, and then darkened, with a single word slamming into his head.

"_Fuck._"


	3. Chapter 3

"_You're welcome, Mate."_

Mate.

Mate.

_MATE_**.**

The word seemed to echo around her skull as soon as Moon finished

"Shitshitshitshitshitshit" was the only coherent thought that ran through Lyra's head as her Soulmate just stared at her waiting.

Lyra reached out her mind tentatively towards her Moon.

She barley caressed his mental shield, but he opened up for her with only a little resistance.

Lyra felt a surge of pride at the fact that the man known and feared as the Dark One, let down his mental shied for her and her alone.

Hope to stave off the argument and venting that she did not want to do mind-to-mind, she only thought_,_

_We have a lot to discuss. I promise once I return to my human form, you and I will have a much needed talk._

To that, her mate only quirked up an eyebrow and replied,

_I'm counting on it._

Lyra shook her head, lurid images coming to her brain at once.

Not all of them involved talking. Not even half.

She shook her head, forgetting for a moment she was silent for a beat too long. She flushed (as much as a dragon/wolf hybrid can.)

She turned to Ric to begin the switch back into her own body, now that Ric's body was healed.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow this is the first time I've written something that's had more then two chapters, so thank you readers! As usual, I own nothing except my OC's Ricoshey and Lyra. Enjoy Chaptered Four!

In a flash of blinding gold light Lyra found herself back in her own body

_Much better Mistress_, Richoshey thought with a purr, stretching his wings in satisfaction.

_Glad you're happy Ric_. Lyra replied somewhat snarkily.

_Oh, you and your mate with be fine. It's not like his going to reject you_

_He might. _

To that, Ricoshey that out a small puff of smoke, which was a dragon-equivalent to rolling his eyes.

"Enough sass, mister." Lyra answered playfully out loud.

With a quick glance at her Moon, she turned to Ruby and said" Moon and I are going to have a talk. You'll be able to tell when it's over. Can you hang out with Ric for me? I need to know how soon I should prep to meet Braun."

After she gave her sister a hug (and Ruby wished her good luck in her ear) Lyra turned to her Soulmate, held his glaze and step next to him.

"Hang tight." Was all that Rumplestitleskin said before all Lyra could see was red smoke.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Slight warning for a tad bit of Belle-Bashing. now may I present Chapter 5 or My Dorks are Angsty. 😉 Enjoy!

When Lyra's vision cleared, she found she was standing in her own apartment.

"Huh," She said, "I didn't think my apartment is where we would go."

"Really" her Mate replied ""and why is that?"

"I figured that since we're going to be having an emotional conversation, you'd poof us to the shop, or your home, or the cabin in the woods. Somewhere that's yours so you have a physical advantage, if not the conversational one."

Moon looked a bit startled, which she had to giggle a bit at.

"You forget I've been in your life the longest out of everyone in this town. I should know by now how you think."

She quirked an eyebrow as if to say "_Really, Moon?_".

"I knew you'd be nervous for our chat, so I thought your apartment would be best."

"Ah. Drink?"

Rumple nodded.

After she got a glass of pop for herself and a glass of whiskey for Moon,

Lyra sat in one of her chairs, legs crossed, and hands clasped over her knee.

"So," Lyra started almost awkwardly, "are we going to yell or what?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" her Moon asked, shoulders hunched, looking more like the Spinner she first fell in love with rather than the fearsome Dark One.

"Honestly, at first, when Ruby told me, I didn't know what to think. I've been in love with you longer than most of the citizens of Storybrooke have been alive, only to have it told to me that you and I are _actually, honest-to god soulmates_?" Lyra's voice rose incredulously at the end of the sentence.

She shook her head in amazement. "and then when I did get out of my surprise, that I actually finally know that you and I are Ment To Be? Then I met Belle."

Here she fiddles with her glass; a nervous habit Rumple remembers well from when they lived in the Frontlands.

"I saw-"Here Lyra's voice breaks so she takes a sip of pop and tries again.

"I saw the way you looked at her. Like she was a jewel you were still unsure how you were lucky enough to stumble across. Like you loved her." Lyra locked eyes with Moon, only to have tears well up in her eyes.

"And I couldn't do it. I couldn't compete with her. She's prettier than I am, more pure-hearted, younger . The list goes on. "She waves her hand dismissively.

Even if I somehow said the words "Oh hey, by the way we're Soulmates.", it was always the wrong time, what with one crisis popping up after the other. The idiots of Storybrooke always need saving."

They shared a little smirk at that

"That they do." Rumple toasted her.

"Besides, you didn't need to be saddled with the Village's Broken Doll, do you?" Lyra smiled tightly.

Rumple's eyes filled in anger at that horrid nickname the Frontlanders gave his Mate.


	6. Chapter 6

A/n : It's time to finally have a chapter from the one, the only, Rumpelstiltskin! *hears the Dearies Screaming in the distance* Also, according to Google Translate _"gràdh m 'anam" is Scots Galiec for "The Love of my soul." Enjoy the fluff!_

"_Besides, you didn't need to be saddled with the Village's Broken Doll, do you?"_

Rumpelstiltskin always hated nicknames, ever since Pans' Shadow dropped him in front of his Aunties cottage.

_Orphan._

_Crybaby. _

Then after he did what he had to do to insure he lived to see his son.

_Coward_

_Weakling_

_Pathetic_

After he took on the Dark One's Curse

_Monster_

_Devil_

_Crocodile_

Insults, Rumple believed, were always the first weapons any human learned and could be harnessed with finesse

"Moon?'

He always hated nicknames, until Lyra decided that he, herself and Bae all needed them.

_*The FrontLands, Enchanted Forest, long before the Dark Curse is Cast*_

_He, Lyra and Bae had just come back from traveling to a market a few villages over. He would have gone himself but spurred on by hunger and the freezing cold that seemed to happen quicker every year. He'd made too much for only himself to carry._

_He tried arguing with Lyra, knowing she'd insist on accompanying him every time he went to sell his wares, if she's discovered how badly he'd been treated._

_Lyra was an oddity in his life, he thought._

_She stuck by him when he came back for the war, introduced him properly to him son. (Milah couldn't even look at him after she'd heard him got himself sent home, a Deserter.) _

_She helped with plant-based remedies for his leg._

_She never, not once, called him a coward, or a weakling._

_He could never fathom what loyalty kept her at his side (although he secretly suspect that it had something to do with the boy she was currently walking with, heads bent and giggling, occasionally sneaking a peek back to check on him.)_

_Yes, it was a very good possibility that Lyra stayed because of Bae but, Rumple never had the courage to ask her, afraid he'd jinx the little family they were if he did. So, he kept he's mouth shut._

_Lyra and Bae had been whispering back and forth the whole walk home, His son nodding agreement or scrunching up his face and sticking out his tongue, depending upon what Lyra whisper in his ears._

_Once the sets their individual load down in a corner of their hut (much smaller, Rumpelstiltskin noted, then what they left with. Perhaps brining Bae and Lyra along was a good thing, he reluctantly acknowledged.) _

_Bae ran up to his poppa, tugging on his hand to make him sit down, while Lyra made her way over to the fire, checking on the (Mostly water) soup they had put on for supper before they began their journey earlier this morning._

"_Poppa, Lyra and I were talking, and we have something to tell you." Bae said in excitement. His son was never excited anymore, with Frontlander starting to disappear and a rumor of a Second Ogres war flooding through the village._

"_What is that, Son?"_

"_So, you know how all the other villagers are Meany stupid-heads and call you all those mean _

_names?"_

_Rumpelstiltskin winced when he nodded, hoping somehow Bae would be not be old enough yet to determine that the word used to address him by the other villagers were far from kind._

"_Well me and Momma Lyra were talkin' and we thought that we should each gives each other nicknames. It'll be like a cool secret club!" Bae crowed excitedly, seemingly bursting with energy despite having walked a fair bit earlier today._

"_Really," Rumpelstiltskin looked at Lyra as she stood up from checking the soup, having seasoned it with what little herbs she could spare from her kit._

"_Yes. I thought it be nice to have a name just for you that was not given out of malice." Her jaw tightened, indicating that that she did indeed hear the whispered taunts directed at him earlier, despite his valiant effort to hurry both her and his son along before the bullies could start on either one of them._

"_That's lovely. What do you think Bae? Do you want to be first?"_

"_Hmmmmmmmm…" Bae put his finger to his chin and tapped thoughtfully. "How about Stars for you Momma?"_

"_Huh," Lyra replied, gathering her herbal medicines to work on Rumpelstiltskin leg. As she sat down on the floor of the hut, she looked up at Bae._

"_Why would you say I'm Stars?''_

"_Because you guide people home. Even in the darkness, all someone would do is to find you and follow your light back home."_

_The spinner belatedly realized he'd spoken out loud. _

_He saw Lyra beaming at him and she whisper a soft "Thank you" before going about her task of helping relieve the pain in his leg._

_After a few moments, Lyra Look up at him from where she sat and said "So if I'm to be stars, then you, Rumpelstiltskin, have to be our Moon. The bright light despite being surrounded by darkness. Sometimes broken, sometimes whole, but always present. Especially the fact that the stars don't look that neat without the Moon."_

"_Yeah! Momma Lyra's Stars and Poppa is the Moon. What about me?"_

_Bae bounced excitedly._

"_Well," Lyra stated, "If I'm Stars, and your Poppa is the Moon, how about you be…."_

"_The Sun" Newly-christened Moon rapidly filled in "It brings warmth and light to everything and everything about it and that's what you give us. Warmth and light."_

_Lyra nodded emphatically. _

"_So, we're Sun" she pointed to Bae, "The Moon" She looked up at him, making sure to set his bad leg down gently on the hard packed earth floor of the hut. "and the Stars." She paused a moment to consider the names "I like it!" she finally declares with a definitive shake of her head. "Yes, I think those will do nicely."_

A sudden touch on his hand startled him out of his thoughts.

"Moon, are you alright?"

Lyra gazed at him with concern

_and love _Rumpelstiltskin noted surprisedly.

"Yes. I'm fine. I was just thinking about the day that you, our Sun and I all gave each other our nicknames. Your are NOT The Village's Broken Doll. You are Lyra, our Stars and MY Soulmate."

Even he noted the possessive tinge of his last spoken sentence.

Lyra didn't seem to mind. If anything, she looked shocked. "You- you mean you _want me_ as your Soulmate? You're not going to reject the bond?"

The Dark One knew what happened if a Soulmate consciously rejected the bond. As rare as they were, there were legends of Soulmates rejecting each other. In the stories, the Mate who got rejected literally died from a broken heart. The Mating bond's magic, which had been originally meant for two souls, not just one, overwhelmed the heart until it finally gives out.

He looked to blue eyes shining with emotion, and his heart gave a twinge at the thought of rejecting this beautiful, brave, stubborn, amazing gift of a human in front of him. The woman who never gave up on him, who had apparently loved him so much, she was willing to die, so he wouldn't be trapped.

"Never, _gràdh m 'anam."_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Fair warning Angst ahead. As usual, I own nothing but My Oc's Lyra and Ric. Everything else belong to A&E.

After her Mate's declaration, Lyra was just taking some time to absorb the life changing fact of having her Soulmate. She was getting refills of both of their drinks when she heard Ric's voice through the bond.

_You Creatin, you harmed my mistress, now you will pay._

Followed by a frightened Hook's face.

"Shit!" Lyra ran into her front room where her Mate was and said "Ricoshey is attacking Hook. I'm going to save him."

Paused then snorted while sending _I never thought I'd ever utter those words_. Through her mating bond.

_Why can't we leave the pirate to die?_ Was the quick witted response

_Because believe it or not, he actually didn't do anything this time._

_Still a shame to waste the opportunity of murder_.

_Moon…_

_Oh alright, I'm coming with._

And with that, they poofed to Granny's.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Ricoshey watched his Mistress disappear with her Soulmate and turned his head to her sister Ruby.

"She'll be fine. She'll be fine. She'll be fine." She seemed to be chanting to herself.

Ric snorted a puff of steam, as if to say," Of course."

"I mean, I know he can't harm her, what with Rumpelstiltskin being her Soulmate and all. and I try not to judge because _hello Werewolf_," She waves her hand around self-deprecatingly, "But he's The Dark One, _the Literal embodiment of all evil_, and I can't help but worry about her." Ruby rakes her hand through her hair in obvious distress.

Seeing his Mistress's sister in distress made Ric uncomfortable.

He wanted to ease her worry but was unsure as to how.

Ruby stopped her muttering and pacing as she saw the Brunette and Blonde from earlier, along with Baefire, A woman with short hair along with a man carrying a sword. There was a man with a bow and arrows in a quiver, and a man clad in leather with a hook for a hand.

"First we gotta deal with a bloody Crocodile and Now we have to deal with a dragon?" the man with the Hook for a hand sneered.

"Killian, be nice." The blonde (Emma, he remembers now.) said.

_A hook replacing a hand and the man's name is Killian_….

As quick as he could blink, suddenly Ric was in his human form, throwing Hook down and punching him.

As he was punching the pirate, he said "You creatin, you harmed my mistress, now you'll pay."

Emma and Regina tried to pull him off of the pirate, but his dragon strength gave him a magical advantage.

His Mistress,

bleeding,

bruised

and struggling to breathe.

_**CRACK!**_ _Her ribs_.

_**CRACK!**_ _One of her eyes_.

_**Crack!**_ _Her arms, her legs, her head_.

She almost died, he almost lost the one good thing in his life because of this piece of sh-

_Ricoshey._

His name almost didn't register, so consumed with avenging his mistress.

_Ricoshey. _

_stop, my love._

Until he felt a hand much smaller than his, take his right hand and bring it up to her throat.

Only he and his mistress knew how much trust she had in him to do that.

Ever so slowly, he closed his eyes and felt his mistress's pulse.

Steady.

Sure

_Alive._

"He is not to blame for the beatings I received at Braun's hands. He is not to blame for me almost dying. Let him up." Lyra said in a calm, measured voice, but only he could detect a slight undercurrent of fear.

Ric brushed his thumb across the vein in his mistress's neck.

_Once._

_Twice_.

He got up off of the pirate.

"Noody hell." The Pirate said through a broken nose. "'at the 'ell was phat por?"

Ric saw he gave him a broken nose, a black eye and a split lip.

He deserved _more_.

Lyra ran a hand soothingly down his arm. He bent to smell her hair, a comfort he hasn't needed since he was a wee hatchling.

"I actually met you and Robin long before I came to this land. Both times while I was a slave to a man called Braun." Lyra began, still running a hand down Ric's arm. "He was a man in the village where My mate, our son and I lived. He always had an interest in me, probably because I was the only person who didn't try for his attention. Why would I? I had no need for his affection, I had My sun and My Moon, I didn't need nor want anything else. But I didn't realize at the time that it's exactly that that made me special in his eyes."

Lyra paused, as if gathering strength for what she said next. "Because of the state of the Second Ogre war in our village, they lowered the conscription age for the war. Now instead of sending grown men to fight and die, they were sending _CHILDREN" _her nose wrinkled in disgust, even after all these years. 

"We knew Bae was going to be drafted soon, knew there wasn't very much we could do to stop it. Unless you had coin to bribe your way out. A lot of times not even then. I heard a rumor that Braun granted favors, and I was just desperate enough to go to him. Of course, he was delighted to have me bowing and scraping at his feet. So, he told me_: I will consider saving your son, if and only if, you agree to belong to me and only me."_ Of course, I said yes. Any hope at all of having my son be free was better than none. So, I signed himself over. I put a golden collar on , at the time I thought it was to flaunt his obvious wealth in a land were none had any sort of coin. It wasn't until later that I discovered that I collars held some sort of magic, that they prevented anyone who wore them from having any sort of free will. Very rarely was I able to fight commands, sometimes ignore them completely. Anyway, you" She flicked her eyes up at the pirate

" You docked your ship in our town one night. When Braun saw the money you'd been carrying, he knew you'd pay well for a pretty girl. So, he told me to fuck you. When I refused, he wanted to know why. Because of the collar, I had to tell him your and Rumpelstiltskin's history. By the time I was done, he made up his made that I was going to sleep with you. What better way to break me then to have the man who stole Rumpelstiltskin's wife away fuck his placeholder wife."

I refused. At the time, I didn't know that you and Bae lived." She glanced at her mate. "I wasn't going to disrespect your memory by sleeping with him, no matter the consequences. I wouldn't have had such a bad beating, but I'd save Roland from being capture into our cult a few days before. Even with my lashes given, Braun still wasn't happy with me."

Lyra shrugged.

"So, he beat me and came pretty damn close to killing me. If it wasn't for Ricoshey, I be dead."

Lyra waved her hand and the pirates face returned to its original state.

"Apologies for the face." Ricoshey said rather stiffly to Hook.

Hook nodded his head, seeming to accept his apology.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Again, I own nothing except Ricoshey and Lyra.

After the drama, the group decided to go to Granny's for a nice drink.

When Lyra entered the diner, she spotted Belle sitting down at her and Rumple's usual booth.

She slowly disentangled her hand from her mate's and shot him a small smile.

_I Will not make you choose. I love you, but I know you love her as well. _

_Mate, I-_

_Just-think on it, my love. Weigh what you want. What you need. I'm going to check on our sons and get a drink. I'll talk with you in a bit. Love you._

Rumplestitlskin walked over to where Belle was, with a hamburger and fries already waiting for him.

"There you are!" Belle said with a soft smile ,getting up to give him a kiss. "I hope you don't mind that I already order for us."

"Not at all sweetheart." Rumplestiltskin said, opening up a napkin to spread on his lap.

He was trying to ignore a growing sense of discomfort when Belle spoke.

"So, it's been quite a eventful day already, and it's not even noon."

He chuckled.

"yes, it has."

They both continued to eat,with Rumplestiltskin trying to figure out what was causing his discomfort.

Then he heard his Mate laugh.

He turned his head to where he heard Lyra's laugh.

She was sipping on a pop, laughing at something Ric or Bae had said to her.

She must have felt him staring at her, because she glanced up and locked eyes with him.

_Hey handsome_.

At the sound of her voice in his head, the sense of discomfort eased.

He shot back,

_You are exquisite._

_Thanks._

He could see her ducking her head, the tips of her ears giving away how embarrassed she was.

"Rumple?"

At the sound of Belle's voice, he turned his head around to face his wife and True Love.

"Are you alright? You've been staring at Lyra for a little bit now."

"Y-Yes I'm fine." He stuttered. To cover up what he was thinking, he continued "Lyra just shared with me some of the things she went through at the hands of the basted who owned her, and I can't help but to worry about her."

Belle smiled and reached for his hand

"She's lucky to have a friend like you."

"Indeed." He muttered under his breath, taking a sip of his coffee.

All of a sudden, there was a clatter as Lyra knocked her chair over and shouted at Ricoshey "**LET GO OF ME**!"


	10. Chapter 10

Lyra left her mate to deal with his wife and joined her sons and her sister at a table.

"Hey Momma, where's Pops?" Bae asked

"Talking with Belle." Lyra said,smiling tightly.

Just then Granny came over to take the tables order.

After placing an order for a pop and some fries, Lyra looked around.

The Charmings were in a conversation with Hook and Emma, Regina and Robin were in their own little world with Roland, and Belle and her Moon seemed to be enjoying their meal.

Lyra tried to smoosh the envy seeing them together provoked.

Once Lyra got her pop, conversation seemed to flow a bit.

'Oh hey, Bae, where's Comet?"

Bae's brows furrowed. "Comet?"

"Henry."

"He got Comet?"

Lyra gave a shake of her head and giggled

"Jealous,my Sun?"

"Well yeah, Comet seems much cooler then Sun. And he's studying with Grace."

"Aww study date." Ruby chimed in.

"I thought I saw Grace with a bit of lipgloss. Girl was definitely prepared." Lyra said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Definitely."

At her son's shocked face, Lyra started Lauging, in a way she hadn't in quite of while.

As a consequence of Braun, Lyra could tell when she was being stared at, so when she felt eyes on her, she turned and found her Mate staring at her from across the diner.

The thrill of having Her mate stare at her while with belle was a tad much, so she decided to flit a bit.

_Hey Handsome _she shot down the bond

_You are exquisite _came his reply

Lyra could feel her cheeks warm_._

_Thanks._

She ducked her head, not wanting him to see.

She noticed that Ric had become unusually quiet.

_Ric?_

The usual warmness she felt from her second son through their bond was cold as stone.

If that wasn't warning enough, Ricoshey's hand snaking around her waist definitely was.

He pulled her against him and whispered, in a voice that was _most definitely_ not her son.

"**Hello again,my pretty songbird."**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Just saying that I've never written 11 chapters of anything, so thanks everyone! Also, I own no one except Ric, Lyra and (Unfortunately) Braun. Also TW for this chapter. Nothing graphic, just Braun victim blaming Lyra, also PTSD things.

Lyra could feel a scream building up in her throat as the voice that had starred in so many of her nightmares (both awake and asleep.) whispered in her ear.

"Let go of me!" Lyra tried to scream.

"Aww, my pretty songbird isn't happy to see me?"

His hand slowly making it's way up her thigh.

"No." she gritted through her teeth.

"Put her down. Now."

Lyra drew a shuttering breath at the venom in her mates voice.

Y-y-you're he-e-e-e-ere.

Of Course. Where else would I be?

Lyra gave a broken sort of laugh

It's wouldn't be the first time I hallucinated your voice when I was freaked out.

Stars, look at me.

Lyra opened her eyes and tilted her head up to look at him.

I love you. I'm not going anywhere.

I love you too.

His mate a little calmer (well as calm as she could be, given the circumstances), The Dark One turned to deal with the cockroach that dared to harm her.

"I won't ask you again, Dearie. Release her." His eye flashed as he brought a fireball in one of his hands. He usually preferred choking, but he couldn't in this instance with his mate in harm's way.

"I'll let her go. If" Here Braun started trailing his (well-Rics) nose up and down Lyra's throat. "if you allow me to place a piece of jewelry on her AND I get a kiss for my efforts."

The piece of jewelry is going to be my necklace.

I figured. What else does he want besides to own you again?

He wants me to pick him over you. You are the one man, besides my sons, I would do anything for, and this frustrates him to no end.

She could feel the smugness wafting off of her Moon.

No one else, huh?

Never.

I can work around the kiss, but not the jewelery.

How can you….

Lyra quirked a brow. You think you're the only one that can use loopholes to her advantage?

"Alright, Braun. I am willing to give you a kiss if you release me and I don't have to wear any enchanted jewelry."

"What about a gift from our homeland?" Here he pulled out a purple lily, one of her favorites.

Manners her mama drilled into her had the words "Thank you" flying out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Braun slid the flower behind her ear before he released her.

"Now, for my kiss?" he asked, with a look that she NEVER wanted to see cross her son's face again.

"Of course" she purred, leaning in, waiting until his eyes closed.

A soft poof of magic had Braun open his eyes.

In front of his face sat a silver wrapped object no bigger than his thumb.

"Whats this?" he sputtered

"In this land, this -here she waves the sliver wrapped object up and down-is called a kiss."

Lyra smiled smugly. " You didn't specify what type of kiss you wanted."

Braun's eyes promised retribution.

"Very well. We'll meet soon, my queen."

With a bow, the coldness seeped out of their bond, filling quickly with warm. Then disgust and self- hatred.

"Ric, it's not your fault." She reached for him, but he sprinted out, quickly shifted into his dragon form.


	12. Chapter 12

p class="MsoNormal"With the bell of the dinner in the background, Lyra felt the aftershock of Braun hit her, sliding down to the floor, taking great heaving gulps of air . emIt's like I never escaped him. It's like for all the effort I've put into moving past it, I'm still back there, still his songbird/em. Her thoughts spiraled from there, on the floor of the diner. emWhat if You didn't?/em a voice that traitorously sounded like her White Queen persona whispered. emWhat if all of this is an illusion? His best one yet? What if the past 28 plus years are just an illusion?/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"She could feel herself heading into the dark, quiet space she went to went Braun would hurt her, but with a last grip of sanity she flung a command out to Rubesem:/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"emThe Baelfire Spell. Activate it./em strongNow./strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was Rubes diving for the nearest table./p 


	13. Chapter 13

Ruby looked worriedly at her sister, noting her knees curled up to her chest and her harsh breathing.

Her sisters mind was coming through like a static radio, making to hard to her to catch what Lyra was thinking through the bond.

_ Still there… Never escaped…all illusions…_

Ruby's heart broke for her sister, but dutifully turned back to Lyra's worried mate and remaining son.

"Her thoughts are come to me like a staticky radio, I'm only getting bits and pieces. The only other time Lyra's thoughts came through like this was when she lost you. She thinks she trapped back with Braun, and that all of this" she waves her hand around the diner "isn't real".

"What can we do to help her?" Neal asked.

She was going to reply just as Lyra shouted clear through the bond.

"_The Balefire Spell. Do it.__** Now!**_

Ruby dove to the nearest table, palm stinging as she slapped it down and chanted

_Rumplestitskin,Baelfire,Ruby Red_

_Hear me now as these words are said_

_Protect everyone in this domain_

_Contain the White Queen and her pain._

A bright gold glow blinded her, but after her vision cleared, she saw a dome of gold, containing her sister and the magic that exploded out of her.

Rumplestitskin studied the magic around his mate, trying to ignore the thrumming of the bond urging him to get to his mate.

"Poppa, what is it? Is momma going to be ok?"

He turned to his son,hands in his pockets to disguise how his hands had curled into fists,his magic aching to releasing itself on the bastard who cause his mate this much pain.

He noticed Regina staring at Lyra, her eyes wide.

"Your Majesty, do you recall our lesson on Burnout?" His voicing going into his Dark One Trill at the end of the question, indicating his stress.

Everyone in the diner started to get a weapon out at the trill.

"Yes, I do."

"Perhaps," He started walking around the barrier,looking for a weakness. "You'd like to reiterate what I taught you to the rest of the lovely people of Storybrooke."

"One of the first lessons Rumplestitskin taught me was on magical burnout. I came across it in one of Mother's books, and thought it sounded like something I should use when the day came to enact my revenge on Snow."

Here she glances at Snow, eyes apologetic.

"After giving me an effective demonstration," here she wrinkles her nose "Those frogs ruined my favorite dress, by the way." Her mentor flicked her finger, and she flinched as he shocked her.

"Tick-Tock, dearie. Tick-Tock."

"In magic users, our magic is strongly linked to our emotions. Usually, whomever is teaching a new magic user their magic, should also teach calming techniques. If our emotions get the best of us, we can have what's called a Burnout. All the magic in your body let out in one concentrated burst."

"Why didn't you use it then? I'm sure you would have loved too." Leroy grumbled at her.

"I would have. If the cost wasn't my life."

"So momma's going to die?!"

"No Bae. Because of the protection spell Ruby enacted, as long as this dome is up, she'll be safe."

Ruby spoke up "But you'd need to get to her, and soon. If Lyra is convinced this is an illusion, the protection spell will break."

She looked at her sister.

"And she looks like she has enough magic to wipe Storybrooke off the map."


End file.
